Cardarine (GW-501516) in Germany: legal status, DmMV, and risks in 2026

Legal status in Germany

No marketing authorization. Drug development discontinued after carcinogenicity findings. Listed in Germany's DmMV with a 225 mg criminal possession threshold.

Approval and regulatory body

No EMA, BfArM, or any global authorization. GlaxoSmithKline discontinued development after rapid and aggressive tumour development was observed in animal studies. Clinical trials were terminated. WADA issued a public health alert stating that 'clinical approval has not, and will not be given for this substance.'

Scheduling

Not listed in BtMG. Explicitly listed in DmMV 2023 under PPARδ-Agonisten — synonyms 'GW501516, GW1516, Cardarin, Endurobolon' — with a non-trivial-quantity threshold of 225 mg.

Doping (WADA) status

WADA prohibited list 2026: listed under S4.4.1 (Metabolic Modulators, PPARδ agonists). Banned in-competition and out-of-competition. Non-Specified Substance — first violation default 4-year ban. See the official WADA Prohibited List.

Prescription reality

None. No authorized product exists and none will be authorized. There is no legitimate prescribing pathway anywhere.

Compounding pharmacy nuance

Not realistic — no GMP raw material in legitimate supply chain, and the substance cannot be lawfully prepared for human use.

Research-use legal basis

Sales labeled 'for research use only, not for human consumption' fall outside AMG scope when sellers do not present the product as medicinal. The DmMV listing means possession in quantities above 225 mg without legitimate research purpose creates AntiDopG criminal exposure under §4.

Import & customs in Germany

Intra-EU shipments do not exempt German residents from AntiDopG/DmMV restrictions or AMG §73 prohibitions on unauthorized medicinal products.

Non-EU personal import

Prohibited under §73 AMG. DmMV listing means seizure can trigger AntiDopG investigation referral. Most retail liquid solutions (e.g., 10 mg/mL × 30 mL = 300 mg) exceed the 225 mg threshold per single bottle.

Research import

Permitted to registered research entities with proper documentation.

Typical seizure outcome

Letter from Zoll requesting research entity status. Without proof, shipment is destroyed. Above 225 mg, AntiDopG criminal referral risk increases substantially.

Market reality on the ground

Pharmacy availability: Zero. Not stocked, not orderable, will never be authorized.

Telehealth pathway: No legitimate German telehealth provider issues prescriptions — there is no legal pathway and the substance is non-approvable.

Domestic research-chem sellers: Available from European and Chinese-sourced research chemical vendors shipping to Germany.

Underground use: Present in German underground fitness and endurance sports communities. Known carcinogenicity and explicit DmMV listing reduce its popularity relative to other research chemicals.

Prices are observational ranges as of May 8, 2026, not endorsements. We do not link to research-chemical sellers.

Where DOSED stands on this

Cardarine sold in Germany carries a "research chemical, not for human consumption" label for a reason. The compound has no marketing authorization, no clinical trials registered, and no Apotheken pathway. The label is not marketing — it is the legal status. We do not provide dosing protocols, route-of-administration guidance, or vendor referrals. We do not make medical claims about safety or efficacy. We catalog the regulatory reality so you can make informed decisions, then point you to a licensed physician for any health decision that involves your body.

The aim here is the same one in every DOSED page: evidence over influence. Whatever you decide is on you. Our job is to make sure the decision is informed.